Aftermath- - Thieves World 10 Read Online Free PDF Page B

same house, while my children and I slept. Why? I don't even know. Then this man shows up. This strange man. My husband's brother, but the two are not anything alike. My mysterious brother-in-law shows up. With his words and his armor, his dark looks, and dark ways. Suddenly, suddenly I find myself in the middle of a conspiracy, a piper's tale of murder and
    revenge." Sarah drank deeply again from the wine cup. "I don't understand anything anymore, Marissa, and I'm tired of being afraid." Marissa had no answer for her. No words of comfort to offer. She knew all too well what it was like to fear, what it was like to have the world change overnight; to go from a warm, safe place to a world of sudden threats and shadows. What could she say to this woman? What comfort could she give, she who had no comfort in her own life?
    "Sarah," she said aloud, "Sarah. I don't know what anyone can say or do to help. But I'll tell you one thing." She almost flinched when Sarah turned to face her with those dark, sad eyes. "I think there is more of Terrel in Cade than you think. No matter what happens, he will do everything he can to help you and I don't think it's only because his brother would have wanted him to."
    It was cold comfort, but in this new world it was often the only hope Sarah was allowed.
    It took two more days for Targ and Cade to put the rest of the pieces together. That Terrel had been running something for the PFLS was definite; what he had been running was another thing. Why was still a mystery. But Cade now had the most important answer. The contact was in Downwind. Downwind—the one place in Sanctuary Cade had avoided, though in his heart he had known, from the beginning, that it would be his destination.
    But first he must talk to Sarah again. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation. The woman was half terrified, half fascinated by him. He was afraid he would have to reveal too much to her. There were things he might have to say, show, things he could never take back. But he had to find out what she knew. Accordingly, after dinner he ordered the chilCADE 29
    dren to bed. This earned him a dark look from the woman, but he ignored it. He faced his brother's wife across a table still covered with the
    remnants of the meal.
    "Sarah, we must talk."
    "Indeed we must." Her voice was firm. "You can't order my children around like that. You have to—"
    Cade interrupted. "No, Sarah, not now. We have to talk about Terrel." She grew quiet at that. "Sarah, Terrel was involved much more deeply with the PFLS than you thought."
    "What do you mean?"
    "He was running contraband for them."
    "I know he gave them some money, but everybody was supporting one group or another."
    "He was doing more than contributing a few spare coins." Cade sighed, his hand drumming against the table edge. "When Terrel stayed late, he was making pots, special pots."
    "Cade, that is what he did for a living."
    "I know that." Cade leaned over the table. "But these pots were built to hide things."
    "What sort of things?"
    "Who knows?" Cade shrugged. "Weapons, money, messages, even drugs, whatever it was doesn't matter now. What matters is that he did it
    for the PFLS. He was not just paying them; he was one of them."
    "I don't believe it."
    "Believe it." Cade leaned back, staring at her. "I've discovered a whole underground organization, very well coordinated, slipping all sorts of things through the different control zones of the town. Terrel was part of
    it, and it's because of that he was killed."
    "Why?"
    "I'm still not entirely sure. Could have been a lot of reasons—one of the other factions found out, one of his own people betrayed him, perhaps even the PFLS themselves were the killers."
    "But why? If he was helping them, why would they kill him?"
    "Lots of reasons: a shipment got lost, an internal upheaval." His voice was bitter. "Sarah, this town was a mess, insane. No one knew who was in charge of what. The control areas changed daily, hourly.